Knowing what experiential marketing is can help a brand to go viral
Trends, instagrammable scenarios, unique experiences, Instagram filters and many other strategies are bringing entertainment to marketing – and lead generation together. All of these make up what Experiential Marketing is all about.
Not sure of how it is different from other advertising strategies? Picture you’re walking down the street and see a billboard with a giant, fully-loaded taco. That’s all. A beautiful photo with a well-made advertisement for brand X.
Then you pass by a seller of taco Y who gives you free samples of various flavors, you just need to take a picture with the food cart and post it tagging the brand. Which one are you going to remember?
There is no doubt that the second one will generate much more buzz than the first one. This is what experiential marketing does. Here in this article, you will find out a little bit more about this marketing strategy that is dominating the digital – and the real – world.
What is experiential marketing?
Experiential marketing is a strategy that aims to engage consumers on a deeper level by creating memorable and immersive experiences. It combines elements of entertainment, interactivity and brand messaging to evoke emotions and forge a strong connection between the consumer and the brand.
This approach goes beyond traditional marketing methods by focusing on creating an experience rather than simply delivering a message.
In experiential marketing, the goal is to allow consumers to actively participate and engage with the brand in a meaningful way. By providing interactive and entertaining experiences, brands can captivate the audience, leave a lasting impression, as well as generating positive word-of-mouth.
Benefits of experiential marketing
With an experiential marketing campaign, you can:
- Increase brand awareness
- Strengthen customer loyalty
- Improve engagement
- Go viral
Increasing brand awareness, reinforcing customer loyalty, increasing engagement and going viral are key objectives in experiential marketing. By creating memorable experiences, brands can enhance their visibility, increase the likelihood of customer recall and create opportunities for immediate purchases.
Building a loyal customer base is crucial for long-term success, as loyal customers are more likely to recommend the brand to others. Engaging experiences help showcase a brand’s benefits and foster customer relationships.
Going viral on social media can lead to widespread exposure and significant sales growth. Experiential marketing holds the potential to achieve these objectives and create opportunities for brands to thrive.
One common technique used in experiential marketing is to create branded events or in-person activations that offer a unique and memorable experience for consumers.
Branded events or activations
These events can take various forms, such as pop-up stores, product demonstrations, immersive installations, live performances, or interactive games, just to name a few.
The key is to design the experience in a way that aligns with the brand’s values, resonates with the target audience and creates a sense of excitement or enjoyment.
Additionally, experiential marketing can integrate lead-generation strategies to capture consumer information and generate potential leads.
For example, brands may offer incentives or rewards in exchange for participation or provide opportunities for consumers to sign up for newsletters, enter contests, or engage with digital platforms.
By bringing entertainment and lead generation together, experiential marketing not only creates a memorable and enjoyable experience for consumers, but also provides a platform for brands to gather valuable data and foster ongoing relationships with their target audience.
Experiential Marketing Example: Burger King Goes Upside Down with Stranger Things!
In 2002, in Brazil, Burger King unleashed a wafflelicious combo inspired by the Stranger Things 4th season launch, featuring:
- hellfire potatoes
- a Demogorgon dessert
- and even temporary tattoos that magically appear on customers’ hands in a custom series-themed box.
To celebrate its partnership with Netflix, Burger King turned things upside down on social media by flipping its name and launching an inverted page on its app. Customers could access the Stranger Menu, all with a topsy-turvy twist!
But that’s not all! The chain took the immersive experience to a whole new level. Two of their restaurants, one on Avenida Paulista and another at Praça Panamericana were transformed into “fortresses.”
On the outside, customers found eerie elements from the Upside Down, signaling imminent danger. Step inside, and they were greeted with incredible scenarios, such as the Rink-o-Mania skating rink and the Hellfire Club, straight out of the latest season of the show.
And if that wasn’t enough, they got an in-person activation called the Stranger-Thru, where brave souls passed through an interdimensional portal for a truly mind-bending experience.
It was a taste sensation and an immersive extravaganza and – it goes without saying – a huge success.
Creating an Experiential Marketing Campaign
To create an effective experiential marketing campaign, follow these guidelines to develop a plan that brings results. By investing time and resources using these methods, you’ll increase your ROI, connect with potential customers and boost brand visibility.
1. Identify your target audience
Determine their age group, needs and interests to effectively engage with them at your event. Who are they? Where do they usually go? What kind of interaction do they usually like to have with a brand? Having the answers to these questions is key.
2. Set goals
Establish clear objectives to focus your energy and determine campaign efforts, whether it’s creating awareness or generating sales. This will also help you choose the most assertive approach.
3. Create unforgettable experiences
Stand out and leave a lasting impression by being original and fun. Do research on what brands in the same market as you have done and try to find opportunities in what they haven’t.
Avoid repeating experiences as this might backfire — especially when working in countries such as Brazil, where people tend to notice and complain a lot if they notice a brand being unoriginal.
4. Coordinate a multichannel campaign
Utilize various channels, such as different media segments, social networks and physical participation to spread the word and ensure a consistent brand presence.
Now you have your answer to the question “What is experiential marketing?”.
Remember: there are many things that you can do with Experiential Marketing, but the essence is to connect with the customer. If you do it right they will talk positively about your brand for years to come